AI in construction planning and scheduling – bring back the ‘cost and bonus surveyor’ !

Gantt Charts and ‘all that’..

We have been using a new software trial for AI planning and scheduling in constructiondisputes.ie. And it’s good. (We can’t say the name of the software, though …sorry)

We first started out using Asta Powerproject version 4. This was back in the nineties during my mentorship. And in fairness, it was great software at the time. The beauty about this software (at the time) was the simplicity. Simple is best in most cases, and Powerproject version 5 did just that. And in fairness, planning and scheduling software has not changed much. But things are changing.

What constitutes a good planning software is a gantt chart, the ability to insert activities and logic link it and create a critical path – in its basic form. This is exactly what Microsoft Project, Primavera P6 and Powerproject do. And they do it well.

But now their is a database. The database is the AI. The AI is the planners ‘mind’.

 

Cost and Bonus Surveyors – who ?? (history lesson)

As planning is an ‘art’, AI need to tie in with the art of a planner.

But where did planning come from – down the rabbit hole we go !

Planning engineering (what we planners learnt – not from a course – but living and breathing project delivery) stemmed from the traditional ‘cost and bonus’ surveyor.

Cost and Bonus surveyors (CBS) came from John Laing (Famous for – yes I did get this from AI !)

1. M1 Motorway (UK) – John Laing was instrumental in constructing the first stretch of the M1, the UK’s first full-length motorway, opened in 1959.
2. Coventry Cathedral – Rebuilt after WWII, this modernist cathedral is one of Laing’s most celebrated architectural contributions.
3. The Barbican Centre (London) – A major cultural and residential complex, known for its Brutalist architecture.

In the days that there was no subcontractors, all trades would of been employed directly – carpenters, bricklayers, roofers etc.

But where did the Cost and Bonus Surveyor come in (to planning) ?

His or her job was to go around on a friday on a building site and calculate the works that each gang produced. For example, length of skirting boards, square metreage of brick etc completed during that week..

Once the productivity of each gang was calculated, then the CBS would then then advise management, payroll on how much each tradesperson received.

The output from a cost and bonus surveyor was the ‘power of 1’.

In its basic format, planning engineering all comes down to ‘1’. One man, one brick, one trowel etc.

And the power of 1 gave rise to a productivity book called the Laing ‘Yellow’ book.

This book of productivity rates became a database. Human Intelligence..

This was then used by planning engineers in John Laing.

Site Based AI and the way forward ?

So how can AI harness this cost and bonus productivity information on-site ?

The only way is by dated productivity sheets taken from on-site inspections by management and then uploaded into a database for AI to use.

But is this feasible ?  Not really. The planner and the QS usually work seperately some might say. Some people may have a difference of opinion.

So what can AI use ?

In my trial of a recent AI planning software, the software states that it uses data from THOUSANDS of projects !

Wow…………. and its AI database uses this info….

However, regarding the compilation and creation of the construction programmes…………

• who built it ?
• what were the planners experience ?
• what are they ?
• when were they built ?
• were they on time, late ?
• delayed by the Employer ?
• delayed by the contractor ?
• design and build ?
• traditional ?
• built to good building practice ?
• created at tender stage,?
• created by whom ?
• created in a rush ?
• etc etc.

What’s the answer ?

So I believe there is a lot of fuss surrounding AI.

So what’s the answer? In my opinion, AI is here to stay. But AI needs to know of best planning engineering practice and art to produce the most appropriate programme. Either in 4D BIM and without.. That is where the planning engineer excels.

The planner needs to be the ‘eyes and ears’ of a project. 66% listen and 33% do.

So this is a short answer, and some planners are worried about their jobs due to AI.

Planners have the opportunity to become the leaders of the pack again – a bit like the Laing Cost and Bonus surveyor over 40 years ago, who mentored the author.

Funny how things come full circle.

 

If you would like to discuss a potential construction dispute matter, please contact us to see how we can help you and your business.

 

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